Publishers

Publishers' Corner

In 1923 best-selling author Kan Kikuchi founded the magazine Bungeishunju, laying the cornerstone for the present-day Bungeishunju Ltd. The firm will celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2013. With the monthly Bungeishunju as its flagship publication, Bungeishunju Ltd. is one of Japan's leading publishers, producing a wide range of magazines while its book-publishing arm issues approximately 400 fiction and nonfiction titles every year. As the supervisor of Japan's two most prestigious literary awards, the Akutagawa and Naoki Prizes, Bungeishunju Ltd. has introduced many new authors to the public. Virtually all of the prizewinners continue to play active literary roles in the evolution and growth of modern Japanese literature.

Bureau des Copyrights Français (BCF), or the French Copyright Office, is a Japanese literary agency that manages French and Japanese copyrights and promotes the Japanese translation of French works in Japan and the translation of Japanese works into French. BCF handles negotiations, proceedings, and the preparation of contracts between French and Japanese publishing companies. BCF deals every year with more than 180 translation contracts and also manages subsidiary rights for reading, audiovisual and theatrical adaptations, use in publicity, etc.

Cork Inc., founded in 2012, is one of Japan's most innovative literary agencies. We represent successful creators working in manga, literature, and criticism, as well as providing a range of strategic marketing and consulting services to corporate clients. As editors, we are in a position to nurture creators’ talents and expand the possibilities of their work. As literary agents, we are not merely negotiators or representatives, but partners that understand and share with the world the spirit and potential of the creator’s work. As producers, we are also actively involved in film and animation production.

Diamond, Inc. is an independent publisher of business books founded in 1913. The company publishes approximately 300 new titles each year, from management classics to the latest theories, and from how-to books immediately applicable to the workplace to self-help titles aimed at long-term personal improvement. Many of them have become bestsellers, and have been translated into other languages?especially the Asian languages.

The company came into being when the economics magazine Daiyamondo (Diamond) was first launched. In the inaugural issue, founder Kenkichi Ishiyama declared, "The guiding principle of the magazine will be the abacus. It will be by the abacus that the magazine determines what is good and right, and what is not. Nothing will stand apart from the abacus." The abacus symbolizes numbers, which is to say, the facts. Throughout its 100-year history, Diamond Inc.'s prime objective has steadfastly remained to provide readers with information that is precise and accurate?like the abacus cited by founder Ishiyama?and that has direct applicability to their lives.

With "Discover Your Resources" as our mission, we have dedicated ourselves to providing readers with new points of view and the chance to find new ideas, ways of life, and opportunities they never knew existed. Let us help you discover your resources too.

Discover 21 is highly regarded in Japan as one of the most innovative publishers in the industry. Primarily publishing personal growth, business, and practical guidebooks, Discover 21 has a large and dedicated reader base, and is known for its high percentage of books that become instant hits.

Doshinsha Publishing Co. got its start in 1957 as a publisher of kamishibai?"paper-panel stories," designed to be read/told from text on the back of the panels while children view the illustrations from the front. It was founded amid widespread calls from the general public for sustained peace and greater democracy following World War II, and with support from parents and teachers wishing to provide a happy and culturally enriched future for their children and pupils.

The company published its first children's book in 1960, and since then has brought out numerous titles that went on to become longtime bestsellers. In 1963 it began publishing a pamphlet for readers titled Haha no hiroba (Mothers' Plaza); having gone through several re-designs over the years, the publication now appears as a monthly bulletin, with more than 550 issues published to date. In 1967, Doshinsha brought out Japan's first picture book for infants. The company now publishes some 400 kamishibai and 600 books.

Fukuinkan Shoten Publishers, Inc. has specialized in the publication of children's books and books about children since its founding in 1952. Two pioneering publications were Haha no tomo (Mothers' Companion), a monthly magazine about parenting launched in 1953, and Kodomo no tomo (Children's Companion), a monthly picture book for children started in 1956. The latter publication produced many popular picture books, including the Guri and Gura series by Rieko Nakagawa and Yuriko Yamawaki, and Mii-chan's First Errand and other works illustrated by Akiko Hayashi. These were joined in 1969 by Kagaku no tomo (Children's Science Companion), a monthly nonfiction picture book for young readers, the first of its kind. Today Fukuinkan publishes eight monthly picture books in both fiction and nonfiction, catering to different age groups, as well as a monthly magazine for parents. The company also publishes picture books and children's literature, both world-renowned works translated into Japanese and original publications. Popular titles in the latter category include the Anno's Journey series by Mitsumasa Anno, Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono, and the Nature Photography series.

Fusosha Publishing Inc. began as Living Magazine, the publishing arm of the Fuji Television Network, incorporating under its present name in 1984. Publications include the monthly magazines ESSE, Numero TOKYO, and en-taxi, as well as the weekly SPA! Fusosha also publishes some 200 books every year. Among its literary titles are Tokyo Tawa: Okan to boku to, tokidoki, oton (Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad), by Lily Franky, which won the 2006 Booksellers Award and has been published in six countries overseas; and Natsu no mizu no hangyojin (Merman in Summer Waters), by Shiro Maeda, which won the 2009 Mishima Yukio Prize and has been published in Korea. The graphic novel Kodoku no gurume (The Solitary Gourmet), by Masayuki Qusumi and Jiro Taniguchi, has been published in six countries overseas. Fusosha actively pursues foreign rights sales.

Hearst Fujingaho Co., Ltd. is a diversified media enterprise with DNA from Japan as well as France and the United States. The company publishes Fujingaho (Women's Illustrated News), now over a hundred years old, as well as the women's magazines Elle Japon and 25ans, the men's magazine Men's Club, and a wide variety of lifestyle magazines centering on interior decoration, food, weddings, and so forth. These are accompanied by a number of web magazines, including Elle Online, and e-commerce sites such as Elle Shop. Drawing on the extensive editorial experience it has acquired over the years, the company is also active in the arenas of book publishing and industry publications. In 2011 the company came under the umbrella of the multinational Hearst Corporation, one of the world's largest media groups.

Ikeda Publishing Co., founded in 1949, is a publisher of books that cover "things they don't teach you in school"?practical knowledge and how-to information that readers can make immediate use of as they go about their daily lives and pursue their personal interests. Everything you’ve always wanted or needed to know on a given subject is laid out in clear, readily understandable terms. Several recent cookbooks as well as pet care books have become bestsellers. The company prides itself on going beyond conventional how-to book treatments to offer a unique angle on the topic at hand.

Iwasaki Publishing Co. releases approximately 160 new titles each year in a multitude of youth genres. Our specialty is children's books, but we have also published The Daily Rules to Raise Your Child series and Testing Your Fatherhood to help and support parental life. Our publications, which currently total some 1,500 titles, also include a series of children's reference books, complete collections of individual writers, and art books.

Kadokawa Corporation began as a full-service publisher of books in 1945, and went public in 1954. Since that time, the company has grown into a broad-based media company that produces feature films, computer games, and other digital and multi-media content in addition to books. The company’s traditional book operations span the full spectrum of genres, from dictionaries and other reference titles to general interest nonfiction, entertainment and literary fiction, manga as well as prose works targeted at young adults, and so forth. In particular, Kadokawa Shoten is Japan’s leading publisher of “light novels,” the distinctively Japanese category of fiction targeted primarily at teens.

Kawade Shobo Shinsha is a publishing company that boasts a long history stretching back to 1886. Kawade is active in publishing across many genres, including literature, the humanities, social science, art, how-to books, children's books, and the quarterly journal Bungei. The Bungei Prize, which was established in 1962, honors literature from new authors that got their start in Bungei, and it is now considered a gateway to success for new writers in Japan. It has produced numerous authors who have both skill and talent, such as Amy Yamada (Bedtime Eyes) and Risa Wataya (Install).

Since its launch in 1945, Kobunsha has established itself as a leading publisher in Japan. Among our various publications, Kappa Books, an educational library of nonfiction books first published in 1954, has won broad support from the public. Kappa Novels, a library that has produced a number of groundbreaking bestsellers, such as Points and Lines by Seicho Matsumoto and Japan Sinks by Sakyo Komatsu, is recognized as one of Japan’s outstanding imprints. With an aim towards promoting mystery novels, we established the Kobun Foundation in 1994, which has produced many talented writers as well as awarding a Grand Prize for Best Mystery Novels annually.

As for magazines, we have brought out Josei Jishin (Women’s Self), the earliest weekly magazine to focus on the improving status of women in Japan. We also launched JJ, a monthly Japan-centered fashion magazine for women that does not imitate Western culture. Kobunsha has also been a pioneer in new markets, producing magazines such as CLASSY., VERY, STORY, and HERS, which emphasize the viewpoints of readers.

In February 2009 we launched our Subsidiary Rights Division (renamed the Contents Business Division in 2013) to further expand our copyright business in regions of Asia such as China and South Korea, as well as Western countries. We have an agreement with Chinese publishers to export magazines such as CLASSY., STORY, and Gainer. We are also working in the content business, including film adaptations.

Mitsumura Suiko Shoin Publishing Co. of Kyoto got its start in 1887 as a publisher of ukiyoe prints. Long specializing in books on Japanese art, the company has recently brought out a number of publications about the city of Kyoto as well. The company is eager to cultivate avenues for spreading knowledge of the art, culture, lifestyle, and natural beauty of Kyoto and Japan to readers overseas.

In 1932 the Japan Telephone and Building Company (Nippon Denwa Tatemono K.K.) launched a PR publication titled Jutaku to denwa (Home and Telephone). A home and lifestyle magazine for general audiences, Hogaraka (Clear and Bright), went on sale in 1955 in bookstores nationwide. In 1961 the publishing side of JTBC’s Division of Advertising and Publications was spun off to become the independent Hogaraka Publishing Co. Hogaraka was renamed Nyu hausu (NewHOUSE) in 1962, and the name of the company itself was changed to NewHOUSE Co., Ltd. the following year. NewHOUSE established itself as a publisher of magazines, "mooks," and books about homes and architecture, as well as children's titles and study aids. It has been a member of the Japan Book Publishers Association since 1990 and is a supporting member of the Japan Publishers Club. In 2006 the company moved into new quarters in a building dubbed "The Wall" in Shinkawa, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. The core of its activities today continues to be the publication of books.

Targeted primarily at businesspersons, books published by Nikkei Business Publications generally fall into one of three major categories: business management, technology, and lifestyle. The company releases 500 new titles each year, and the total number of licensing agreements in place with overseas publishers has now reached 100. From books by and about leading figures in the Japanese business world, to titles featuring uniquely Japanese design and architecture, and to works discussing how the newest technologies will shape the future of society, the company prides itself in a lineup that no other publisher can duplicate.

Since its founding in 1950, Nippon Jitsugyo Publishing has brought out a steady stream of titles on business and business management, along with a variety of books on humanistic, scientific, and practical subjects; it also publishes magazines targeted at the leaders of small- to mid-sized venture businesses. The company’s approach of giving weight to pragmatic applications over recondite theories, and offering top-notch content in easy to read, easy to understand formats, has been a hit with business people and the general reader alike. With a number of perennial bestsellers on its backlist, Nippon Jitsugyo has established itself as an irreplaceable presence in the arena of business publications. It is committed to staying one step ahead of the changing times in an effort to deliver practical and genuinely useful content to the reader.

Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. was established in 1947 and is now one of the largest publishing companies in Japan for children and young readers. To date Poplar has published more than 6,000 titles in all genres of children's books, including picture books, storybooks, pop-up books, and books with sound modules. It has also published many titles for young adults. A division for books for adults was established in 2000 and a series of paperbacks was launched in 2008. Many Poplar titles have been licensed to foreign countries, including China, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, the United States, and various European countries.

Rironsha was born in 1947, shortly after the end of World War II, out of a desire to plant new seeds for the future in the ravaged earth of war-torn Japan. The seeds soon sprouted and blossomed into a garden of children's literature, which has nurtured the minds of many new generations of boys and girls in the years since.

As the 20th century wound down, the cold war between East and West came to an end, but now in the 21st century, Japan and the world have entered an era of great change. The catastrophic earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011, has had the effect of calling into question our way of life, our values, and even our entire understanding of human civilization.

In a direct reflection of these developments, our children's world is undergoing great changes as well. Living in an age of upheaval, children more than ever need that one special book through which they can experience the joy of life. It is from books that convey the wisdom and truths that people live by in fun and stimulating ways that they are most likely to gain this joy.

The new Rironsha will carry on the fine traditions of the old in continuing to bring out such books, always looking to the future and to the world.

Sekai Bunka Publishing Inc. is a general-interest book and magazine publisher that marked 70 years of operations in February 2016. The company’s flagship periodical is Kateigahō, an amply illustrated magazine about culture, food, the arts, and natural beauty, which has won a large readership for its unsurpassed production values. The same editorial standards apply to a wide variety of other magazines targeted at both men and women and from small children to seniors. The veteran editors of the book division turn out a constant stream of high-quality publications ranging from literature and history to cooking, beauty, children’s books, comics, practical guides, and other genres. As the publishing world continues to be transformed by digital media and the Web, the company has integrated the new technologies with traditional paper publications in order to become the best content provider it can be.

Shinchosha Publishing Co., Ltd. is one of the oldest publishing houses in Japan. It has contributed to the development of modern literature since the Meiji era, having published both Japanese and foreign classics in the inexpensive Shincho Bunko paperback format for nearly 100 years. Shinchosha has published many books by Nobel Prize winners and candidates including Kobo Abe, Yasunari Kawabata, Kenzaburo Oe, and Haruki Murakami. Shukan Shincho, the first weekly magazine by a Japanese publishing company, has challenged taboos and surprised readers with scoops since it first appeared 55 years ago, and enjoys a huge readership today. Shinchosha began exporting translations 15 years ago; though active mainly in the Asian market, it is gradually expanding its activities into a wider area including Europe. Around 80 Shinchosha titles are translated into foreign languages every year, with the number increasing annually.

Shogakukan Inc. was founded as a publishing house specializing in educational magazines for elementary-school children and teachers. The company's range of publications gradually expanded to magazines for preschoolers, general magazines, and books (including picture books, dictionaries, and encyclopedias). It then gained distinction as one of the country's major publishers of manga comics. Shogakukan began to issue Weekly Shonen Sunday, the company's first weekly manga magazine, in 1959. Thereafter, Shogakukan launched a variety of manga magazines targeting pre-adolescent boys and girls, teenagers, and adults. The year 1969 saw the birth of Doraemon, one of Japan's most famous cartoon characters, to be followed by others such as Pokemon, Hamtaro, InuYasha, and Detective Conan. Shogakukan has also achieved success with its fashion and lifestyle magazines, including CanCam, Oggi, and BE-PAL. Currently publishing 17 different manga magazines, Shogakukan sells some 120 million copies every year in this category alone. As the publisher of numerous non-manga magazines and books as well, it is one of Japan's most prominent general publishing houses today.

There are a lot of children in the world. But it is also true that all of us are children even if we have already grown up, because each of us has our own mother and father. All human beings are children in this world.

It is our steadfast hope that children everywhere should be able to grow up and live soundly, with hearts filled with love and mercy. That is why we produce various kinds of books for children. We are convinced that this hope is one we share with everyone who loves children.

We publish more than 50 titles a year. Some of them?including storybooks, picture books, science picture books, and books on Buddhism?have been translated and read in various countries.

As one of Japan's leading book and magazine distributors, connecting bookstores and publishers throughout the country, Tohan Corporation has supported the development of the publishing industry since its foundation in 1949. Using the knowhow we have cultivated in Japan, we are also expanding our business overseas through such activities as:- Exporting Japanese publications to overseas bookstores and distributors - Selling foreign publications to bookstores in Japan - Negotiating with Japanese publishers on behalf of overseas publishers to secure translation and publication rights for Japanese works - Handling copyrights (including ebook rights) for Japanese works and selling them to foreign publishing houses - Introducing various works from all over the world to Japanese publishers

In addition, we serve as the head office representing Japanese publishers at the Taipei International Book Exhibition and the Beijing International Book Fair, and support the globalization of the Japanese publishing industry by helping develop its overseas business.